In the Community
Proudly Serving Dalton, GA & Surrounding Areas
For over 130 years, Dalton Utilities has served as a pioneering utility provider in Dalton, GA, helping pave the way for our region’s economic and social growth. With a reach extending across Whitfield County and the neighboring counties of Floyd, Catoosa, Murray, and Gordon, we initiate and oversee a variety of programs that support the community and local environment.
We encourage visitors to take a look at our programs, which include the In the Know About H2O water conservation program, Mount Rachel Star, and the Spring Creek Wetlands Preserve. If you’re interested in setting up an account or would like to schedule service, please contact us at 706-278-1313 today.
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In the Know About H2O
Water is a limited resource, and with the growing threat of climate change, parents and educators have a responsibility to teach younger generations about water conservation. Dalton Utilities is committed to facilitating this effort through our In the Know About H2O program.
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Working closely with 3rd and 4th-grade teachers in Dalton Public Schools and Whitfield County Schools, we provide a resource packet filled with interactive, educational games, puzzles, fact wheels, conservation tips, and rain gauges for classrooms to utilize.
As part of the In the Know About H2O program, 3rd graders from Dalton Public Schools and 4th graders from Whitfield County schools submit artwork that reflects the importance of water conservation. Artwork submissions are evaluated by local judges and awarded on our website, televised on OptiLink Channel 6, and displayed on local digital billboards and newspapers.
Spring Creek Wetlands Preserve
Spring Creek Wetlands Preserve is open to the public at no charge and features a system of hiking trails for residents, students, nature conservationists, and visitors alike!
More About Tours & Trails
Spring Creek Wetlands Preserve is open to the public at no charge. The wetlands preserve, located in northwest Whitfield County, is owned and maintained by Dalton Utilities as an environmental education area.
Spring Creek Wetlands Preserve is open on weekends from 9 AM until 6 PM for self-guided tours and open by appointment only on weekdays. Guided tours may be arranged by calling 706-278-1313.
Trails
A trail system runs through the wetlands on both the east and west sides of Spring Creek. Visitors are encouraged to observe the plants and wildlife with convenient trail markers that resemble large rocks. Arrows etched into rocks point walkers in the direction of the trail (T) or the parking area (P), should they become disoriented.
Mount Rachel Star
ABOUT THE STAR & MOUNT RACHEL HISTORY OF THE MOUNT RACHEL STAR
The Star
Built in 1935 by the late Carl McCamy, former superintendent of Dalton Utilities, the original structure was a 30-foot tall wooden frame with 150 light bulbs attached to a pole.
The temporary structure was placed on top of Mount Rachel each December. The star was lit every year after 1935, except during the blackouts in World War II. In 1947, V.D. Parrott, Jr., former Dalton Utilities’ president, and the Board of Water, Light, and Sinking Fund Commissioners replaced the original wooden star with a permanent structure made of iron. In 2005, Dalton Utilities rebuilt the frame, replaced all the lights, and rewired the structure.
Today, the Mount Rachel Star measures 40 feet in diameter and towers 65 feet above the mountain. Each year, a descendant of Carl McCamy or children of Utility employees/retirees switch on the star. All 230 LED bulbs give the star its infamous glow, which shines brightly during the Christmas season for several miles.
About Mount Rachel and the Hamilton House
Mount Rachel was named after the wife of John Hamilton, a wealthy landowner who built the Hamilton House located near the mountain on Chattanooga Avenue. Built in 1840, the Hamilton House is the oldest brick home in Dalton and predates the city.
Widowed at 42, Rachel was left to manage the large working plantation and raise seven children. During the Civil War, Rachel found asylum in middle Georgia. After Gen. Sherman’s army passed, Rachel returned to Dalton to find her home being used as a hospital. She continued using her home as a hospital and nursed wounded soldiers from both armies. Five of her sons fought for the Confederacy. She lived at the house on Chattanooga Avenue until she died in 1876. The house was sold to Crown Cotton Mills in 1884.
The Hamilton House is now owned and maintained by the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We’d love to hear from you! Contact Dalton Utilities at 706-278-1313 today!